Review of Sicario: Day of the Soldado (2018) by Rm M — 22 Aug 2018

Though not my favorite selection from his impeccable selection of filmography, Denis Villeneuve's Sicario was as impressive as it was oppressive back in 2015 and was easily one of the best films of the already quality year. An unrelenting look at humanity in the face of horror and chaos, the film was perfectly contained within its narrative and thematic conceits, so it was an odd, probably unnecessary move to return to the firmly tapped well for another round with Sicario: Day of the Soldado.

Day of the Soldado loses a lot of the thematic nuance that made the original Sicario so masterful. The dangerous extent to which the United States government meddles in international affairs is explored again in Day of the Soldado, but unlike its predecessor, the presentation feels mostly one-sided. Josh Brolin and Benicio del Toro's cold-blooded military men completely displace the humanity Emily Blunt previously brought to the table, making the sequel feel more like a mission of desperation than a demonstration of the United States' reckless ego.

With this less graded simplicity, there's less room for interpretation and meaningful interaction with the piece, though I will say there is at least a powerful thematic throughline regarding soldiership and children backed at the film's end. The film should have stuck with its original title, Sicario 2: Soldado or just Soldado.

In every other element, Day of the Soldado is at least as competent as its parent picture. The intensity of the film never lets up over its drudging two-hour runtime (not a complaint, the pacing is perfectly controlled) and, despite a pretty bad ending, the film stuck with me like some kind of grimy glue for at least another couple of days. It can get silly just how much the Sicario track "The Beast" is milked in the sequel film, but it's undeniable how effective it is in its contribution to the haunting atmosphere it creates.

It also does feel like a true sequel to Sicario. Day of the Soldado justifies its existence thanks to Tyler Sheridan's return as its writer and Stefano Sollima's solid imitation of Villeneuve's directorial style. Again, the writing's slightly weaker this time around with some weird plot progression towards the beginning of the film and little new character development, but it's still solid and eons better than a lot of what the summer drivel often has to offer.

Brolin and del Toro also give amazing performances despite their limited character growth. Del Toro's Alejandro Gillick is especially engrossing to watch in and out of action, and there's always something gripping to be found just in his eyes alone. Brolin actually does have some interesting developments nearing the end, but it's just a tiny little taste. I'm skeptical of wanting more, but if Brolin and del Toro are back in, so am I.

Sicario: Day of the Soldado is a weaker but nevertheless strong sequel to the exemplary 2015 original. Its slow-paced intensity and ultra-realistic depictions violence can be tough to watch, but it's all provocatively effective.